• Under pressure • [ Taekook ]

3. Tears

.
.
.

Jungkook was afraid that Tae would see him in tears again.

But he felt good today. His tears were justified by the various memories that came flooding back to him. Although those tears were perfectly acceptable, he fell into a complete inability to explain them.

The younger was never shy to shed a tear when needed. Jungkook could shed a tear because of the simplicity of his joys, which he often did when he was with the elder.

Sometimes he cried even when the cause was completely null. Just as was the case that day. He constantly wondered what he could do to get this seemingly calm and cold man out of his rutine.

Taehyung was so cold and unable to shed tears himself. If his tears weren't caused by breaking up with him, maybe it would be a failure at work or something else? He didn't know.

Tae seemed distant enough and mature enough not to react to anything that might have bothered him. He preferred to keep quiet about it. Jungkook would only have one word to describe his silent trait...

... banality.

And those who were not banal fall into banality more often than those who were. It was much easier to move along the edges of banality and non-banality than under the dictates of inner impulses. As part of that banality was fear of feelings.

The ability to feel was a neglected human ability, so it was only normal that Taehyung didn't want to let his feelings take over him and lead him, like Jungkook himself had allowed. They were two completely different persons.

He quickly wiped away the tears that had unplanned accumulated in his eyes and then slowly knocked on the door of Taehyung's office. He swallowed the lump in his throat when he heard a soft 'come in'.

The young detective took a few steps not daring to meet his superior's eyes.

He was suddenly overwhelmed by some great inexplicable joy due to the very closeness with the elder. And Jungkook tried to suppress it, as well as the other feelings that caused a complete war in his being.

He cleared his throat and mumbled softly.

- City councilor... - Jungkook almost didn't even hear himself because of the confusion in his head.

- Come again? - Taehyung slowly got up from his chair, his eyes focused on the handsome appearance in front of him.

Such fragile beauty... beauty full of anxiety. The beauty of accidental -
- ... perfection...

- W-what? - Jungkook asked as he watched Taehyung's eyes widen at the unplanned spoken word.

- Nothing. What is it, Jungkook? - he asked trying to calm his breathing. He was the one who never showed emotions. So there was no point in showing that the younger detective's presence left him breathless.

- The city councilor is a victim. Hoseok... umm officer Jung and I found the business card in his metal bag. - he hurried his words because there was no other way to announce it without his heart exploding in his chest.

- Okay. - the elder sat down again, not paying attention to the other who was still frozen in the same place.

They looked at each other for a moment with wide eyes, without saying a word, as if they could read each other's soul writings. Jungkook kept his gaze a little longer. He was sizing up the older man, along with the whole complex of their lives. It's as if he compares him to some old man that he carried deep inside his thoughts.

His calmness hurt him.

- Tae, please. Just talk to me, trust me, I'll do everything to fix the situation. I swear! You will be happy again... with me...

- Thank you, detective Jeon. You can go. - he hadn't even spare him a single glance.

The younger one pressed his lip between his teeth to ease the pain that burned his heart, recognizing the pain. He has already felt its strength and power more than once.

It was expensive to reach the extreme limits, to reach the full possession of a truth, but if he reached it just once, it would be easier. A man without feelings, who does not want to spill the truth in front of him, stood before him.

The younger nodded shyly, speechless. He turned and headed for the door, almost jealous of the thought that Taehyung had other things more important. It seemed like anything could have preoccupied him more. Jungkook hated things that pulled his Tae away from him.

________

He spent the entire rainy morning in a café with a view of the outer boulevard. It rained continuously and steadily that morning with no hope that it would stop soon.

Typical Seoul rain, which has the whole appearance of a utility service.

Various voices infiltrated his ears, but he focused on the window where he could see the density of the droplets. He didn't hear the laughter from various corners of the café, not even looking back at the hot brunette who had been staring at him for the past twenty minutes.

He looked once more into the gloom that loomed over the city. The young man stopped and frowned as he noticed a red-haired man hurrying towards a nearby police station with an umbrella. Ready to wave, the man accidentally looked at that window and for a moment a blissful smile crept up on his face.

Hoseok made his way to the café, settling down on the empty chair across from the younger man.

- Hey, Jungkookie... - saying that, he put the wet umbrella under the table, not paying attention to the pool of water that formed under his feet.

- Hoseok... I didn't think I'd see you here...

- What are you doing here? Is this seat taken? Um, I didn't even ask, sorry if I sat in someone else's place... - the red-head started to get up from the comfortable chair, but soon he heard Jungkook's protest and he came back.

The smell of black coffee and fresh pastries teased the stomachs of the two men. When their order arrived, they both threw themselves into breakfast, while talking about rainy days in the city and how to make the most of them.

The rain was typical for a city like Seoul. But Jungkook could never love rain.

- Ah yes, I definitely wanted to inform you today in the lab, but when you're already here... - Hoseok spoke as he rummaged through his bag with his hands. The man took out a tablet and with a few clicks he turned the screen to the younger one.

Jungkook took a big gulp of the hot drink and took the device in his hands and started reading. After a few seconds Hoseok spoke.

- I was hoping that I scraped enough tissue from the metal case to take prints. I knew that he must have left because of the powerful combinations and attempts.

- I was told this morning that there were no prints on the metal part of the lap top bag. There were no other prints at the crime scene either, except for the counsellor's. - the younger man spoke in a calm voice.

The elder stretched out his hand and the tablet was in his hands again.

- Here are the results... voilá! Larry Lee. He is in the system due to theft. - the man with red hair pointed to the screen on which there was a picture of a man.

- Look at the address, Hoseok. He lives in Mapo-gu, right next to the house where the crime happened. - Jungkook carefully read the information about the long haired man.

- It seems that the thief escalated to murder. - Hoseok's voice was heard in the silence of the cafe, which door Jungkook quickly opened, heading to the nearby station.
.
.
.

...to be continued...